the Star Phoenix, 15 November 2014

Margaret Poitras hopes a holistic strategy can help the province's indigenous people cope with HIV/AIDS.

"As we move forward in addressing HIV and AIDS, we've noticed there's a multitude of other health and social conditions that are impacting the indigenous people," Poitras said Friday at the University of Regina Community Research Unit (CRU) showcase.

"It's many of those deep-rooted issues that need to be addressed."

Poitras, CEO of All Nations Hope AIDS Network, is one of many stakeholders involved in the Saskatchewan Indigenous Council on HIV and AIDS, which has spent the past year working on a strategy to help solve the problem.

In 2012, 74 per cent of new HIV cases (131 of 177) were among aboriginal people, according to a Ministry of Health report.

The strategy is to be released Dec. 1 at a Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network event marking World AIDS Day.

"It's primarily focusing on people that are living with HIV or AIDS, but that includes a multitude of other health and social conditions like homelessness, poverty, addiction, corrections," Poitras said.

Part of the solution is for indigenous people to reconnect with spirituality, she said.

"We once were very spiritual people. It's time for the people to wake up and to understand their relationship with the Creator first and foremost."

The strategy is made up of seven objectives, including fostering knowledge, culture and ceremony, prevention and awareness, building partnerships, ensuring treatment and support, and harm reduction.

The draft has been shared with community members, agencies and various levels of government for feedback. The ultimate goal in its implementation is "to take those Band-Aids off and to look at the deep-rooted issues they're having in their lives and help to bring that healing and that wellness forward," she said.

The CRU showcase featured presentations on various topics, including food sustainability, prostitution, a living wage and homelessness.

CRU director Michelle Stewart agreed HIV/AIDS and other big issues don't exist in a vacuum. "(We) have more effective grassroots movements when we're all supporting each other, which is a goal in an event like this today."

The CRU has existed for six years to unite community organizations and researchers.

By Ashley Martin, The Starphoenix

Source: the Star Phoenix